Battle Ship

Heart Change in a Fruit War

The Heart Fruit Battle vs 16-18

Galatians 5:16–18 ESV

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Our Christian life is a battle for the heart.

Heart: Who we are at our core, inner being

Heart change leads to fruit change.

Desires of the Flesh: My lingering orange treeness – a want to produce fruit of my old life

The World’s Orange Harvest vs 19-21

Galatians 5:19–21 ESV

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Those who consistently live a life characterized by these things show that they are not changed at their core, show that they are not saved.

How do we try to change these things in our life?

What Kind of tree am I? Which Kingdom do I belong to?

The Spirit’s Apple Harvest vs 22-23

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Only by relying on the Spirit to change us into this kind of tree that produces His kind of fruit

How do we change from those rotten oranges to these Spirit produced apples?

Fruit is born only on branches that have a vital life giving relationship with God.

The Apple Tree’s Triumph vs 24-25

Galatians 5:24–25 ESV

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Walk by the Holy Spirit, who lives within us to…

Battle sin and the flesh within us

Points us to Jesus to be transformed

The Holy Spirit battles against the flesh by

convincing us of God’s mercies in Jesus

and our standing in Christ if we believe.

“Apple”ication: Oranges & Apples

Change: It is more about heart change than behavior change.

Fruit War: There is a continual war between the flesh & the Spirit

Spirit: God lives in you to transform you

What is the best fruit?

What would be your fruit of choice for a for a food fight?

(Debate over a tomato’s place in the fruit or vegetable kingdom is encouraged)

According to what we heard tonight, what are some reasons that people fight & argue?

Of the list for the fruit/works of the flesh, which ones do you see most often in other people’s Friendships/relationships?

What do those things do to the Friendships/relationship?

Why is it true that those who consistently do these things won’t inherit the Kingdom of God?

What do you think is the most important fruit of the Spirit?

How does this fruit benefit Friendships/relationships?

Why does is fail to try to produce the fruit of the spirit by our own power or effort?

How does the Spirit battle sin in our lives?

How does the Spirit’s work in pointing us to Jesus help us do this?